Short films with cutting edge return to the Art Center Friday and Saturday

Mar. 7, 2013

A scene from 'Here and Away,' a short narrative film being shown at the Black Maria Film Festival.

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The animated short 'The Poetry Winner' is one of the films being shown at this weekend's Black Maria Film Festival at The Des Moines Art Center. / Photos special to the Register

The Black Maria Film Festival

WHEN: 6:30 p.m. Friday, 1 p.m. Saturday. The films last a total of about two hours. WHERE: Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave. COST: Free. See more info on the films at www.blackmariafilmfestival.org.

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Jill Featherstone first encountered The Black Maria Film Festival as an art student at Michigan State University.

“For me it was shocking; I had never seen any films other than what Hollywood produced,” said Featherstone, now the Des Moines Art Center museum education director. “Seeing the different ideas about art making use of the moving image struck a huge chord with me. When I moved to Des Moines I wanted to see if I could bring this festival here.”

In 2000, she did just that, and each year since has highlighted cutting-edge short films in four categories: narrative, documentary, animation and experimental. Several of those films — “Ryan” (2004), “Breathing Lessons” (1996), “Mona Lisa Descending a Staircase” (1992) — have gone on to win Academy Awards.

Festival founder John Columbus, of Jersey City, N.J., highlighted a few of the films to check out this weekend:

• “Nile Perch” — A documentary on the fishing industry that had sprung up after Nile perch invaded Lake Victoria in Africa. “This year we’ve had some of the most beautiful documentaries we’ve ever had,” Columbus said. “The emergence of an invasive species has turned into a positive thing as Europe, Japan and America have been clamoring for filets of this fish.”

• “The Poetry Winner” — An animated film about a soon-to-graduate college student who realizes life is about to change. “It’s a really funny film and an amazing accomplishment,” Columbus said of the film, which was created by college student Jennifer Levonian.

• “The Lost Interview of Ray Bradbury” — A tribute to the sci-fi author, who passed away last year. The interview was shot more than 20 years ago in Bradbury’s home office, with the author reflecting on his life and career. “It’s really illuminating on his views on life,” Columbus said.

• “Here and Away” — A narrative film, shot in India and inspired by the Franz Kafka story, “Children On a Country Road.”

“It’s a really beautiful and pastoral film that gives us a journey into another culture while at the same time is entirely relatable,” Columbus said.